Excitement abounds

In just 6 days we will be off to Germany, not for just visiting friends, which is always our favorite part, but now I get to sell my purses in a Christmas Market. Or in German it is called Weihnachten Markt. This particular one is located in Hornbach Kloster which is near Saarbrüken. On a map look in the lower left corner of Germany, right on the French border.

This location is an Abbey that has been taken over by a boutique hotel. And yes the above picture is from a past Christmas market in one of the halls. Look at those awesome windows. Can't wait.

But what am I selling. Well I made a challenge for myself to take only 10 purses. Want to see them? I wanted to mix contemporary and vintage together to show arc of my work.

Here are only some of them.

1. Piranha Purse - not Prada Purse. I don't take full credit for this one. Kinga Nichols, a fellow bead artist, designed the toothsome fish, but I did all the embroidery. I just didn't want it on my neck, so of course I put it on a purse with a few embellishments.

2. Tree of Life purse - The frame is over 100 years old. It has lovely carnelian stones and cloisonne work on it. I love this frame. The bag is made of deep red linen. The tree is actually lace that I picked up the last time I was in Germany. It was originally white but I painted it with alcohol inks leaving a bit of the white showing through. Then I bead embroidered the glass leaf beads on, they pivot so they move as the bag moves. I really like this one it will be hard to give it up.

3. Crunchy Purse - This is an ode to my pet Squirrel outside my window. He loves crunchy peanut butter, thus the name. The background is gold velvet with Crunchy done with an assortment of glass beadwork. The clasp has a lampwork glass acorn. Fun and whimsical in a modern purse.

4. UpsyDaisy reticule - A bit of a departure for me. I designed this after a Slipper Purse I saw in a museum. It is called a Slipper Purse because of the shape of the sections, they look like the footprint of a slipper. In this case I took 5 slippers and made it into a daisy. This is entirely made of silk that I hand dyed. Then all the daisies I made with glass beads. I like making this shape, I think you will see more of these but only in silk.

5. Arachnipurse - Ewwwww, for someone who HATES spiders why did I make this purse? Well first I had this interesting pyramid shaped purse I was waiting to use for something. While in Czech Republic two years ago I picked up the glass button with the spider on it. Then started my design. Note the little red baby spiders spilling out all over the purse. Too fun.

6. Garden Trellis purse - Another antique frame starts this one. But I do have to say, this is a picture of the work in progress. I have completed it but just not taken new pics of it. This is also made entirely of silk. There is gold work on it and silk ribbon embroidery and bead embroidery. Lovely purse for a bride. Know of any?

7. Swan Lake purse - Purple velvet sets the scene for this swan swimming on a silk lake. I enameled the swan and dyed the lace fringe. There is even a matching Flapper (1920's) headpiece to go with this one.

8. Open Wide coin purse - no I have not lost my mind. I had this idea for a long time. I even had the frame and the teeth ready but just had not taken the time to create it. Then a fellow bead artist, Linda Olsen, handed me some of her prototypes she worked up for a Dog sculpture she was making. Well they were tongues and as soon as I saw them I knew I could complete this purse. Needless to say this is a hit with the grandsons. I think I will be making more of them.

I have a few more packed to go but I don't want to take pics right now. I need to finish my packing. As they say in German. . . Bis Bäld. . .See you later!